Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story CD - Import

Memphis-based Ardent Records was an outgrowth of the legendary Ardent studios, whose clients were top-shelf artists from both sides of the Atlantic, but the label drew from a stunningly deep pool of local talent, eventually becoming best known for power-pop icons Big Star. THANK YOU FRIENDS is a two-disc collection that charts the course of the little label that could, following it from its lo-fi origins in the 1960s through to its `70s heyday and its partnership with Stax Records.

The first disc, covering Ardent's humble beginnings, is a treasure trove of psych/garage-rock rarities, including not only obscure names like The Goatdancers and Christmas Future, but also some of the earliest work of Big Star singer/guitarists Alex Chilton and Chris Bell. The second disc overflows with power-pop glory, featuring a wealth of classic Big Star cuts, as well as solo gems from Chilton and Bell, and some choice tracks from `70s power-pop cult heroes the Scruffs and Tommy Hoehn.

(2-CD set) The compilation is neatly divided between two eras of the studio/label. Disc one (the 60's) features rare and unissued garage and psychedelic singles and early studio experiments of Big Star's Alex Chilton and Chris Bell. Disc two (the 70's) e

Liner Note Author: Alec Palao.Spin (p.94) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "This two-disc time capsule documents an organic, creative scene untroubled by mass appeal or outsider interference."
Uncut (p.108) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "A degree of hard-nosed Anglophilia, coupled with a bittersweet sense of what might have been, are the prevailing themes of THANK YOU FRIENDS..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.124) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Engineer Terry Manning's '60s outings are uniformly engaging, as are the eccentric early cuts produced by Jim Dickinson for The Wallabies, The Bitter End and The 1st Century."
Record Collector (magazine) (p.104) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Well annotated, beautifully sequenced and obviously a real labour of love for all concerned, this will surprise and delight lovers of great pop music."